Charles rtjmley



the ports by the side pipes (D). Two pas- STATES PATENT CHARLES RUMLEY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

. ROTARY ENGINE.

Specicaton of Letters Patent No.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES RUMLEY, of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Steam-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings of the same, which make part of this specification, and in whichd Figure l represents a side elevation of a rotary steam engine, having the heads of the cylinder and steam chest removed to show more clearly the interior parts; Fig. 2 represents a vertical section taken through the axis of the cylinder and steam chest, and Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 represent the valve, and its movable part in various positions.

The cylinder (A) as represented in the accompanying drawings is of the `usual diameter and length, and is fitted with two ports (B and B), either of which will admit steam to, or exhaust it from the cylinder, but when one is used to admit the steam, the other is invariably used to exhaust it. The lconversion of the ports at will from admission to exhaust and vice versa, admits of the motion of the engine being reversed. This change is readily effected by a simple adjustment of the valve. The steam chest (C) which contains the valves is placed on the side of the cylinder and connects with sages (E, E) connect the valve chamber with the side pipes, and another passage (F) connects this chamber with the exhaust pipe (G). The side of the chamber, through which these passages enter is made perfectly plain and smooth and is fitted with an adjustable plate (I) and a self adjusting plate (J) which together form a seat for the revolving valve (K) to slide against, to admit and out off the steam. The adjustable element of the valve seat consists of a plate (I) with both sides perfectly plain and parallel. This plate is nearly a semicircle, and is mounted upon the inner end of a tubular spindle (L) which passes to the outside of the valve chest, where it has a hand lever attached to it, by which it can be turned to the right or left far enough to uncover one of the passages to the side pipe, and cover the other as the engine is required to turn to the right or left. By turning the hand lever to a point half way between these two extremes7 the plate will cover both the pas- 11,909, dated November 7, 1854.

nary D slide valve to connect the passage which communicates with the exhaust side Apipe with the passage which conducts the exhaust steam into the atmosphere. When the engine is stopped this adjustable plate occupies the position shown in Fig. 1. When the engine is required to turn in one direction it occupies the position shown in Fig. 3, 'and when it is required to turn in the reverse direction, the plate is setas represented in Fig. LL. This plate with its hollow axle are shown in perspective in Fig. 8. The self adjusting plate (J) is smaller thanthe adjustable plate, being only about 45 of a circle. It is the same thickness asthe other plate and finished in like manner. It is' mounted upon the middle of a solid spindle (M)which`extends through the axis of the hollow spindle (L) on which the other plate is mounted at one end and through the hollow axis of a rotating valve (K) at the other end. The end of this spindle is fitted with an arm (N) which connects through the medium of a link rod with the slide of a governor, so that when the speed of the engine decreases, the arm will be raised, and when the speed increases the arm will descend. The eiect of this operation of the governor upon the arm will be to cause the edge (b) of the self adjusting plate to approach that of the adjustable plate when the speed increases, and to recede therefrom as the speed diminishes. This self adjusting plate is seen at its extreme point of recession in Fig. 6, and at an intermediate point in Fig. 5. Those variations in t-he position of this self adjusting plate are designed to affect in a corresponding manner, the point at which the steam is cut ofi', and the proportion in which it is allowed to expand, and this is effected in a manner which will be presently explained.

Between the adjustable and self adjusting parts of the valve seat and the head (O) of the steam chest, a plate valve (K) with two wings each about 60 of a circle, is arranged to rotate. The side of this valve which slides against the seat plates (I and J) is perfectly plain and smooth, and at right angles to its axis of rotation. This valve is stroke.

the spindle which carries the self adjusting seat plate (J). This hub also passes through a stuffed joint in the head (O) of the chest. Motion is communicated by gear from the axis o f the piston to this hub so that this valve (K) and the piston lwill revolve isochronally.

From an inspection lof the relative position of the several parts of the valve and chest already described it is plain that the steam can only pass into the aperture'communicating with the side' pipe lby entering the space (Q) Fig. (7)y betweenthe'adjustable' and self adjusting plates of the valve seat, now as the valve rotates in the contrary direction from the piston, and in equal time, and its wings Will-cover about 100o "of a circle, and the back edge of the win ladmits the steam and the frontcutsit o the steam can be readily cut olf when the piston has made a greater or-less proportion of the Vhen arranged to cut-oft1 atv two thirdsf stroke, the self adjusting portion of the valve seat (J is shown` in the position at which this takesE place in Fig. v5, and in that at which it 'cuts of at full stroke/in Fig. 6. When the velocity increases indicating an `excess of steam, the arm raises by-tliefaction of the governor and depresses the part'lof the seat (J) connected vwith it` which causes the steam to be cut off' sooner,

and when the speed-decreases, indicating al deficiency of steam,the arm (N) descends;

the plate (J) rises, more steam admitted into the cylinder, and the speed thereby accelerated. From this method ofoperation -it is obvious thelvelocity of the engine can not be much varied wit-h any ordinary variation of duty. j Y

As the governor as well 'as the steam chest are constructed in the usual manner I do not deema particular description of them necessary.

The cylinder is not bored outv truly cylindrical, but its innerperiphery is lcomposed of a little more than 180o-of each of two intersecting circles whose radii are equal, and whose centers are at a distance corresponding to the difference between the extreme radii of the curves in which the segmental periphery (R) of the piston works in the different parts of its revolut-ion.

n The piston consists of a cylindrical hub (S) which equals in length the interior of the cylinder, and its diameter equals two thirds or thereabouts that of the cylinder, and a radial slide which moves freely across the axis of this hub, each end of the slide being fitted with a hinged foot (R) whose outside isof the same curvature as the interior of the cylinder. This hub is fitted at each end with a gudgeon which passes through stuffed bearings in the head of inder so far as to bring the periphery of the hub in contact with one side of the cylinder. The joints betwen the slide and hub and between the ends of 'the' hub, and the heads of the cylinderv are lwell packed in the usual, or in any convenientand approved manner. The side of the cylinder too against which the hub bears shouldV be fitted with a removable. stave of gun metal which can be adjusted to compensate for wear. d

The bore of the cylinder as represented in thedrawing, does not conform strict-ly in its shape to the geometrical definition of the term cylinder, as it is in strictness an ellipse approximately very nearly to a cylinder. Its long diameter is 5f@ inches, and its short diameter is 5 inches, and the radii of the curves of every partof it are equal, its configuration being produced by sweepingit `the manner represented in the drawing. If

the joints were placed at a vgreater or less distance'fromthe ends of the piston, the

maximum deflection of the ends from the line of the `slide of the piston would be greater or less, andl this, -would involve, a corresponding change inthe foci of the curves-of the cylinder, as the various lines which the radii ofthe end of the piston assumed must all convergev to a common focus, since, these piston-ends alwaysstand perpendicular to the curves swept from the foci, while'sliding over the same'. Y v

g In practice the cylinders are constructed by boring th'em .on two centers in succession which coincide with the two foci of the ends. To perfect the cylinder according to theory, it should vbe bored on athird center equidistant from, and in aline with the two foci, but as the foci are so nearjtogether this is unnecessary, and-.for all practical purposes double boring is sufficient. The precise positions of these reciprocally eccentric centers on which the cylinder is bored, will be varied by the position of the joints in the slide, and

Acan only be determined by careful calculation when the structure and all the dimensions of the different parts are known. But

`by the rule above given these calculations can be made with great facility and cerare exterior to the points of intersection; whereby the construction of an elliptlcal cylinder is greatly simplified so that it may be l bored wth precision with an ordinary ing engine as described.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. ,y

CHARLES RUMLEY.`

Witnesses:

A. B. CHILDS, P. I-I. VVATsoN. 

